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Original  Contributions  of  Louisiana 
to  Medical  Sciences 


JiOX  ^  Bibliographic  Study 


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EDMOND  SOUCHON.  M.  D. 

Professor  Emeritus  of  Anatomy,  Tulane  School  of  Medicine 
NEW  ORLEANS 


Ratm'res- Jones  Printing  Company,  Baton  Rouge,  La. 


Original  Contributions  of  Louisiana 
to  Medical  Science 


A  Bibliographic  Study 


EDMOND  SOUCHON,  M.  D. 

Professor  Emeritus  of  Anatomy,  Tulane  School  of  Medicine 

NEW  ORLEANS 


ORIGINAL  CONTRIBUTIONS  OF  LOUISIANA 
TO  MEDICAL  SCIENCES. 

By  Edmond  Souchon,  M.  D. 

Professor  Emeritus  of  Anatomy,  Tulane  School  of  Medicine 
H.  F.  A.  C.  S. 

New  Orleans,  Louisiana. 


A  BIBLIOGRAPHIC  STUDY. 

Upon  reflecting  on  the  awakening  of  the  scientific  spirit  in 
America  within  the  last  thirty  years,  it  occurred  to  me  that  it  would 
be  very  interesting  to  study  the  achievements  made  especially  in  the 
form  of  original  contributions  by  America  to  Medical  Sciences. 

In  this  study,  I  confined  myself  to  the  United  States  of  America. 
America  is  barely  more  than  a  century  old  but  in  that  century  it 
has  contributed  more  than  any  other  single  century  of  the  Old  World, 
barring  the  century  of  Pasteur  and  his  followers;  and  yet,  with 
transmissibility  of  puerperal  fever,  with  anesthetics,  general  and 
local,  gynecology,  abdominal  surgery,  dentistry,  eradication  of  yel- 
low fever  and  malarial  fever,  it  follows  closely  in  the  trail  of  the 
Pasteur  century. 

By  original  contribution  is  meant  something  new,  that  has  not 
been  done  before  by  somebody  else. 

In  some  instances  it  is  difficult,  from  the  description,  to  decide 
if  the  contribution  has  been  made  in  America  for  the  first  time,  or 
for  the  first  time  in  the  world.  Doubtless  a  great  number  were  made 
in  America  without  any  knowledge  that  they  had  been  done  before 
by  somebody  else,  and  that  is  quite  creditable  in  itself. 

To  obtain  information,  I  have  sent  out  over  six  hundred  circu- 
lar letters  to  as  many  men  occupying  prominent  positions  and  who 
ought  to  know  what  has  been  done  in  the  profession  in  this  country. 

Through  the  courtesy  of  the  Editor,  the  circular  letter  was 
published  in  the  Journal  of  the  American  Medical  Association.  It 
required  eight  months  to  gather  the  data  and  write  the  paper.  It  was 
truly  a  labor  of  love  to  bring  together  the  workers  of  our  country. 

The  contributions  of  Louisiana  are  here  described  as  a  biblio- 


4  Edmond  Souchon,  M.  D. 

graphic  Study.  In  a  previous  paper  read  December  15,  1915,  before 
the  Louisiana  Historical  Society  the  subject  was  considered  bio- 
graphically,  i.  e.  gave  specially  an  account  of  the  lives  of  the  contri- 
butors, whereas  in  this  bibliographic  study  it  is  specially  their  writ- 
ings and  achievements  that  are  described. 

All  the  contributors  from  Louisiana  are  from  the  City  of  New 
Orleans,  except  Dr.  Prevost. 

DR.  FRANCOIS  PREVOST  practiced  in  Donaldsonville.  In 
1830  (?)  he  performed  the  first  Cesarian  Section  in  America.  He 
operated  four  times  successfully  losing  but  one  mother  and  operating 
twice  on  the  same  woman.  His  claim  is  well  established  in  a  paper 
published  by  Dr.  Robert  P.  Harris  of  Philadelphia,  published  in  the 
New  Orleans  Medical  and  Surgical  Journal,  June,  1879,  page  933. 

DR. DUBOURG,  (New  Orleans)  was  the  first  to  perform 

vaginal  hysterectomy  in  America,  if  not  in  the  world.  (Statement 
of  Professor  E.  S.  Lewis  of  Tulane.) 

DR.  CHARLES  ALOYSIUS  LUZENBERG,  1805-1848,  (New 
Orleans)  first  removed  gangrenous  bowel  in  hernia,  and  sutured  the 
ends  successfully. 

DR.  JOHN  LEONARD  RIDDELL,  1807-1865,  (New  Orleans) 
invented  the  binocular  microscope. 

DR.  WARREN  STONE,  1808-1892,  (New  Orleans)  was  the 
first  to  resect  a  portion  of  rib  to  secure  permanent  drainage  in  cases 
of  empyemia.  He  was  the  first  to  apply  a  wire  ligature  to  a  human 
artery  for  aneurism.  He  applied  it  to  the  common  iliac  for  an  aneur- 
ism of  the  external  iliac.  He  first  cured  a  traumatic  aneurism  of  the 
second  portion  of  the  subclavian  artery  by  digital  compression. 
Priority  is  also  claimed  by  Dr.  Jonathan  Knight  of  New  Haven,  Conn. 
Digital  compression  is  undoubtedly  an  American  procedure. 

DR.  CHARLES  JEAN  PAGET,  Sr.,  1818-1884,  (New  Orleans) 
discovered  the  lack  of  correlation  between  the  pulse  and  the  tempera- 
ture in  yellow  fever.  While  the  temperature  goes  up  the  pulse  goes 
down  or  remains  stationary.     It  is  pathognomonic  of  yellow  fever. 

DR.  TOBIAS  GIBSON  RICHARDSON,  1827-1892,  (New  Or- 
leans) was  the  first  to  amputate  both  legs  at  the  hip  joint  at  one  time 
in  the  same  subject,  the  patient  recovering.  He  was  the  first  to  write 
an  Anatomy  in  which  English  names  were  substituted  for  the  Latin 
names.  He  was  the  first  to  use  strong  injections  of  nitrate  of  silver 
for  cytitis. 

His  wife's  devotion  to  his  memory  caused  her  to  contribute 
magnificent  buildings  on  Tulane  Campus  devoted  to  medical  edu- 
cation. 


Original  Contributions  of  Louisiana  to  Medical  Sciences  5 

DR.  H..D.  SCHMIDT,  1823-1888,  (New  Orleans),  demonstrated 
the  origin  of  the  bile  ducts  in  the  intercellular  spaces. 

DR.  COMPTON,  (New  Orleans),  in  1853,  was  the  first  to 
excise  both  the  radius  and  ulna. 

DR.  ANDREW  WOOD  SMYTH,  (New  Orleans)  was  the  first 
to  cure  a  subclavian  aneurism  of  the  third  portion.  He  first  ligated 
simultaneously  the  innominate  and  the  common  carotid  and  later 
the  vertebral  artery.  His  ligation  of  the  innominate  artery  is  the 
first  successful  one  in  the  world.  His  patient  survived,  whereas 
Dr.  Mott's  did .  not.  It  is  by  ligating  the  vertebral  artery  on  the  ap- 
pearance of  secondary  haemorrhage  in  his  case  that  he  cured  the 
case. 

DR.  ALBERT  BALDWIN  MILES,  1852-1894,  (New  Orleans) 
was  the  first  to  use  a  loop  ligature  on  the  first  portion  of  the  sub- 
clavian artery  while  operating  on  an  aneurism  of  the  third  portion. 

DR.  JOSEPH  JONES,  1833-1896,  (New  Orleans)  discovered 
the  plasmodiimi  of  malarial  fever  before  Laveran.  (Statement  of 
Professor  Duval  of  Tulane.) 

DR.  EDMOND  SOUCHON,  (New  Orleans)  devised  a  New 
Method  to  design  colored  charts  for  class  demonstrations.  The 
sketch  is  copied  from  a  book  with  a  pantograph  and  the  shading  is 
done  by  willow  charcoal  and  black  crayons.  The  coloring  is  done 
with  pastels.  The  drawing  is  made  on  book  paper,  the  back  of  which 
is  painted  with  thin  Damar  varnish  and  turpentine  which  fixes  the 
pastel  and  prevents  its  rubbing  off.  The  paper  is  then  pasted  on 
large  Bristol  boards  (30x40)  and  its  surface  is  sized  with  thin  gelatine 
and  then  varnished  with  thin  damar. 

Preservation  of  Anatomic  Dissections  with  permanent  color  of 
Muscles  and  Organs  by  two  methods.  The  curing  Method  using 
arsenic,  calcium  chloride  and  formol.  The  Physical  or  Paint  Method 
by  which  colorless  muscles  in  a  dissection  are  given  permanent  color 
by  painting  them  with  artist's  paint  or  house  paints. 

Founded  Preservative  Anatomy  after  the  method  described 
above. 

Founded  Methodic  Anatomy  as  evidenced  in  a  plea  for  a  Metho- 
dical Textbook  on  Anatomy.  A  single  and  uniform  guide  is  strictly 
followed  in  describing  each  and  every  organ,  from  the  largest  to  the 
smallest. 

Founded  Philosophic  Anatomy  as  exemplified  in  the  publica- 
tion of  Philosophic  Anatomy  of  the  tongue,  liver,  lungs,  kidneys. 
The  peculiarities  only  of  the  organs  are  considered  and  it  is  endeavored 
to  explain  the  reasons  of  things,  the  why  and  wherefore. 

Founded  Esthetic  Anatomy  by  using  systematically  in  teaching 


6  Edmond  Souchon,  M.  D. 

four  hundred  large  pastel  colored  charts  and  projecting  on  the  screen 
a  complete  series  of  three  hundred  colored  lantern  slides,  the  re- 
production of  the  atlases  of  Bonamy,  and  Beau  and  of  Hirsfeldt 
and  Leveille. 

Founded  the  Souchon  Museum  of  Anatomy  at  Tulane  Universi- 
ty. It  was  so  named  by  resolution  of  the  Board  of  Administrators.  It 
contains  350  dissections,  large  and  small.  They  are  all  natural 
preparations.  There  are  no  dried,  wax,  or  papier  mache  specimens. 
All  the  muscles  and  organs  present  permanent  color.  No  other 
Museum  an^-where  presents  this  feature.  They  are  prepared  after 
the  Souchon  Method  of  Preserving  Anatomic  Dissections. 

Surgical  Collateral  Branches  of  the  Main  Arteries.  Each  and 
every  main  artery  presents  a  collateral  branch  which  takes  the  place 
of  the  main  artery  when  that  artery  has  been  ligated. 

Embalming  of  Bodies  for  Teaching  Purposes.  The  chemicals 
used  are  arsenic,  formol,  alchohol,  ghxerine,  carbolic  acid,  and  creo- 
sote. The  originality  lies  in  the  combinations  selected,  in  the  pro- 
portions of  each  and  the  result  obtained  in  the  color  of  the  muscles. 

First  Complete  History  of  Aneurisms  of  the  Arch  of  the  Aorta. 

First  Complete  History  of  the  Operative  Treatment  of  Aneur- 
isms of  the  Third  Portion  of  the  Subclavian  Artery. 

First  and  Only  Dissection  of  a  Subclavian  Aneurism  of  the  Third 
Portion  of  the  Subclavian  Artery,  demonstrating  the  collateral  cir- 
culation, after  ligature  of  the  main  arteries.  It  took  place  through 
the  amastomoses  of  the  Aortic  perforating  interostals  with  the  branch- 
es of  the  subscapular,  in  the  substance  of  the  great  serrate  muscle. 
The  specimen  is  now  in  the  Army  Medical  Museum  in  Washington. 

First  to  advocate  Simultaneous  Ligation  of  the  first  portion  of 
the  subclavian  and  the  vertebral  artery  without  rupturing  the  coats 
for  the  cure  of  subclavian  aneurism  of  the  third  portion. 

First  to  advocate  the  ligation  of  the  axillary  artery  above  the 
origin  of  the  subscapular  for  the  cure  of  recurrent  aneurisms  of  the 
third  portion  of  the  subclavian. 

First  Complete  History  of  Double  Aneurism  of  the  same  artery. 

First  Complete  History  of  the  Operative  Treatment  of  Irre- 
ducile  Dislocations  of  the  Shoulder  Joint.  Resection  of  the  head  is 
better  and  easier  than  reduction. 

Complete  History  of  Drilling  holes  through  the  skull  to  explore 
with  syringe  and  needle. 

First  Complete  History  of  Wounds  of  the  Large  Surgical  Veins. 
When  a  large  vein  has  been  injured  and  ligated,  if  the  collateral  venous 
circulation  is  inadequate  and  gangrene  is  threatened,  the  main 
artery  of  the  region  must  be  ligated,  but  below  the  largest  collateral 


Original  Contributions  of  Louisiana  to  Medical  Sciences  7 

which  will  carry  enough  blood  to  nourish  the  parts  beyond,  while  the 
ligation  of  the  main  trunk  will  diminish  the  quantity  of  blood  and 
equalize  the  arterial  and  the  collateral  venous  circulation. 

First  Complete  History  of  the  Treatment  of  Abcesses  of  the 
Liver  by  Aspiration.  Small  abcesses  of  not  over  one  quart  are  often 
cured  by  a  single  aspiration. 

First  to  write  a  Complete  History  of  the  Surgical  Diseases  and 
Injuries  of  the  Neck.  Each  region  of  the  neck  is  considered  separ- 
ately. The  peculiarities  only  of  diseases  are  considered.  No  generali- 
ties are  mentioned. 

First  to  write  a  Methodic  Description  of  a  Surgical  Disease.  A 
single  uniform  plan  or  guide  is  adopted  and  is  strictly  followed  in 
describing  each  and  every  surgical  disease. 

Devised  Souchon's  Anesthetizer,  an  apparatus  to  inject  anesthe- 
tic vapors  in  the  lower  pharynx  b^^  a  rubber  tube  introduced  through 
the  nose  or  the  mouth.  The  apparatus  is  worked  by  one  hand  which 
presses  a  bulb  and  forces  the  vapor  through  the  tube.  Its  originality 
lies  in  its  small  size  and  simplicity.  Other  apparatuses  used  for  this 
purpose  are  large,  clumsy  and  worked  with  the  foot  and  bellows. 

Devised  Speculum  Holder  for  Sims  duck  bill  speculum.  An  up- 
right with  a  line  of  nails  is  screwed  to  the  side  of  the  operating  table. 
The  outside  end  of  the  speculum  is  held  by  a  loop  of  rubber  with  a 
string  to  it.  The  string  is  wound  around  a  nail  on  the  upright,  It 
is  quite  a  help  and  relief  to  the  assistant  who  has  only  to  guide  the 
inside  speculum  in  the  proper  position. 

First  Formal  Plea  for  a  Reform  in  Medical  Education. 

First  Formal  Plea  for  a  Reform  in  University  Education. 

Wrote  the  first  Formal  Sanitary  Code  in  America  for  the  Louis- 
iana State  Board  of  Health. 

Reminiscences  of  Dr.  J.  Marion  Sims  in  Paris. 

Designed  the  Floor  Plans  of  the  Josephine  Hutchinson  Memorial 
School  of  Medicine  of  Tulane  University.  It  is  the  largest  and  most 
elaborate  under  one  roof  medical  college  in  America. 

First  to  write  a  formal  History  of  the  Original  Contributions  of 
America  to  Medical  Sciences. 

DR.  RUDOLPH  MATAS,  (New  Orleans),  "Drum  snares," 
solid  rings  for  end-to-end  and  lateral  intestinal  anastomosis. 

Method  of  securing  circular  constriction  with  fixation  pins  of  the 
Auricle,  to  obtain  hemostasis  in  operations  for  cavernous  and  other 
angiomas  of  the  Auricle.  Pins  are  inserted  around  the  auricle  and  an 
elastic  thread  is  wound  around  the  pins. 

Easy  method  of  securing  hemostasis  in  bleeding  injuries  of  the 
upper  lip  in  hemophilic  subjects.    Arrest  of  hemorrahage  by  direct 


8  Edmond  Souchon,  M.  D. 

elastic  compression.  An  ordinary  wide  elastic  band  (stationers)  is 
adjusted  over  the  lip  and  fixed  by  threads  to  prevent  slipping  up  or 
down. 

New  Method  of  reducing  and  securing  fixation  of  displaced 
fragment  in  zygomatic  fractures.  A  long  semilunar  Hagedorn 
needle  threaded  with  silk  is  entered  one  inch  above  the  middle  of  the 
displaced  fragment,  is  passed  well  into  the  temporal  fossa,  and  made 
to  emerge  one-half  inch  below  the  arch.  The  silk  is  used  to  pull  the 
bone  into  position.  A  firm  pad  is  applied  externally  and  the  wire  is 
twisted  over  the  pad.  On  the  9th  or  10th  day  the  wire,  pad,  etc.  are 
removed  permanently. 

Adaptation  and  modification  of  the  Kraske  method  for  cases  of 
congenital  inperforation  of  the  anus. 

Modification  of  the  Fell-0'Dw^^er  apparatus  for  direct  intra- 
laryngeal  insufflation  (first  effort  to  apply  positive  pressure  in  the 
surgery  of  the  thorax  in  the  United  States)  for  anesthesia  in  over- 
coming surgical  pneumothorax. 

A  new  graduated  air  pump  for  positive  pressure  in  its  applica- 
tion to  medical  and  surgical  practice.    The  Matas-Smyth  pump. 

Ap.  adjustable  metallic  interdental  splint  for  the  treatment  of 
fracture  of  the  lower  jaw. 

An  apparatus  for  massive  infiltration  anesthesia  with  weak 
analgesic  solutions. 

Original  methods  of  Blocking  the  Nerves  in  Regional  Anesthesia: 
(1)  Original  method  of  anesthesia  of  the  forearm  and  hand  by  intra- 
neural and  paraneural  infiltration  with  cocain,  novocain,  and  other 
succedanea,  into  the  trunks  of  the  musculo-spiral,  median  and  ulnar. 
This  procedure  secures  complete  analgesia  of  the  forearm  and  hand, 
permitting  amputations,  resections,  or  any  other  operation.  First 
case  operated  by  this  method,  January,  1898.  (2)  Regional  anesthesia 
of  the  territory  supplied  by  second  division  of  the  trigeminus  by 
blocking  the  nerve  at  its  exit  rotundum,  by  two  routes:  (a)  By  in- 
troducing the  needle  through  the  spheno-maxillary  fissure  into  the 
spheno-palatine  fossa  and  reaching  the  nerve  and  even  the  Gasserian 
ganglion  through  the  foramen  rutundom.  This  route  to  the  superior 
maxillary  division  of  the  Trigeminus  was  first  applied  by  Dr.  Matas 
in  removing  both  upper  maxillae  for  carcinoma,  April  29,  1899.  This 
route  is  now  known  as  the  "Payr  route"  in  Germany,  though  its  ap- 
plication has  only  recently  obtained  in  Germany,  (b)  The  inframa- 
lar  route  to  the  second  and  third  division  appeared  also  at  the  same 
time  (1899)  to  block  the  second  and  third  division  of  the  Trigeminus 
for  operations  on  the  jaw,  thus  antedating  Schlosser  and  now  recog- 
nized as  the  "Matas  Route"  (see  Braun,  Lokal  Anesthesia,  ed.  2, 


Original  Contributions  of  Louisiana  to  Medical  Sciences  9 

1913;  also  Haertel,  loc.  cit,  1913).  Original  account  of  these  and 
other  procedures  described  by  Dr.  Matas.  See  Phi.  Med.  Jo.,  Nov. 
3,  1900. 

Was  also  the  first  to  apply  spinal  subarachnoid  anesthesia  for 
surgical  purposes  in  the  United  States  (Nov.  10, 1899)  though  Leonard 
Corning  of  New  York  had  applied  it  for  medical  purposes  in  1886, 
and  had  laid  the  foundation  for  the  surgical  procedure.  A  Bier,  then 
of  Kiel,  Germany,  first  introduced  and  resorted  to  it  for  surgical 
piirposes  in  April,  1899  (see  Phil.  Med.  Jo.,  Nov.  3,  1900). 

An  operation  for  the  radical  cure  of  aneurism  by  endo-aneuris- 
morrhaphy  with  intrasaccular  suture  ("The  Matas  Operation"), 
first  applied  in  March,  1888.  In  this,  three  different  methods  are 
described  for  the  first  time:  (1)  Obliterative;  (2)  Restorative;  (3) 
Reconstructive  Endo-aneurismorrhaphy.  225  operations  by  these 
methods  were  reported  in  August,  1913,  to  the  17th  International 
Congress  of  Medicine,  London. 

The  flexible,  flat,  removable  aluminum  band  for  the  occlusion  of 
large  surgical  arteries  (with  Dr.  Carroll  W.  Allen).  "Matas-Allen 
Band."  For  testing  the  efficiency  of  the  collateral  circulation  in  the 
circle  of  Willis  and  other  parts  (a  modification  of  the  Halsted 
band). 

A  method  of  testing  the  efficiency  of  the  collateral  circulation  as 
a  preliminary  to  the  occlusion  of  the  great  surgical  arteries.  Hy- 
peremia reaction  or  living  color  test,  (used  on  the  extremities): 
Complete  ischaemia  of  the  limb  is  obtained  by  elevation  and  appli- 
cation of  an  elastic  bandage  to  the  level  of  the  lesion.  Then  a  Matas 
compressor  is  applied  to  the  proximal  side  and  as  near  the  aneurism 
as  possible,  until  the  aneurism  is  absolutely  stilled,  and  is  allowed 
to  remain  from  six  to  ten  minutes.  Immediately  on  removal  of  the 
elastic  bandage,  the  compressor  being  still  in  place,  a  hyperemic 
flush  descends  the  limb  rapidly.  The  digits  retain  a  cadaveric,  waxy 
lifeless  palor  for  several  seconds,  which  may  be  prolonged  to  ten  to 
forty  minutes  or  even  longer,  according  to  the  development  of  the 
collaterals.  If  there  is  no  collateral  circulation,  the  limb  will  remain 
ischaemic. 

The  second  test  is  based  on  the  premliinary  occlusion  of  the  main 
artery  with  the  pliable  and  removable  aluminum  band,  which  can  be 
removed  in  56  hours  without  injury  to  the  vessel  in  the  event  of 
manifestations  of  ischaemic  phenomena;  for  example,  hemiplegia, 
stupor,  and  coma  after  the  obliteration  of  the  common  carotid 
artery. 

A  method  for  reducing  the  calibre  of  the  thoracic  aorta  by  pli- 
cation or  unfolding  of  its  walls  by  means  of  lateral  parietal  suture 


10  Edmond  Souchon,  M.  D. 

applied  in  one  or  more  stages.  (An  experimental  investigation  with 
Dr.  Carroll  W.  Allen.) 

Direct  duodenal  catheterization  through  the  gall  bladder  and 
common  duct  for  nutrient  and  medicinal  purposes  (an  extension  of 
Mc Arthur's  gall  bladder  drip). 

A  simple  expedient  in  treating  complicated  fractures  of  the  lower 
jaw  in  conditions  forbidding  the  use  of  splints  or  intrabuccal  pros- 
thesis (with  Dr.  L.  Landry).  Four  or  five  turns  of  a  thin  Esmarch 
bandage  are  taken  around  the  face  and  jaw  from  the  bregma  to  the 
chin  and  under  jaw;  this  is  fixed  by  a  bandage  passed  around  the  fore- 
head to  prevent  slipping.  Immobilizes  the  fragments  after  reduction; 
assists  materially  in  getting  rid  of  swelling  and  edema. 

The  prophylaxis  of  post-operative  tetanus  based  upon  proper 
dietetic  measures,  and  upon  contamination  of  the  alimentary  canal 
with  Tetanus  bacillus  introduced  in  uncooked  vegetable  foods. 

Dr.  Matas  has  devised  a  special  Rachitome  which  he  uses  with 
advantage  in  performing  laminectomy  for  extensive  spinal  lesions. 
This  is  a  simple  but  very  strong  chisel  with  a  short  powerful  cutting, 
tooth  prolonged  into  a  long  curved  metallic  handle.  The  chisel  has 
enormous  strength  and  leverage  and  can  cut  a  continuous  linear 
section  through  the  laminae  in  a  very  short  time  without  injury  to 
the  dura. 

Dr.  Matas  has  also  devised  and  uses  with  advantage  a  special 
long  suture  carrier  which  greatly  facilitates  the  tacking  of  the  omen- 
tum or  mesentery  in  making  colonic  or  other  visceral  suspensions  for 
prolapsed  stomach,  colon,  etc.  It  permits  of  an  extensive  suturing 
of  distanced  displaced  organs  through  a  comparatively  small  median 
incision.  In  this  way  a  colonic  suspension  may  be  made  in  the  course 
of  a  pelvic  operation  through  a  short  and  low  laparotomy  incision 
with  little  additional  trauma  or  intraperitoneal  manipulation. 

In  an  exhaustive  monograph  on  the  surgical  treatment  of  ano- 
rectal imperjoration  (congenital)  Dr.  Matas  laid  special  stress  upon 
the  advantages  of  the  perineo-cocygeal  route  and  described  a  pro- 
cedure which  he  first  applied  with  decided  success  in  a  case  of  im- 
perforated anus  with  a  high  placed  enteron.  In  this  case  the  distended 
gut  was  brought  down  from  a  high  position  in  the  pelvis  by  a  partial 
Kjraske,  which  allowed  it  to  be  pulled  down  to  the  proctodeum  or 
infundibulum,  to  which  it  was  sutured  by  a  lateral  anastomosis.  In 
this  way  the  sphincter  fibres  of  the  anal  region  are  preserved  and  a 
better  chance  of  rectal  control  is  obtained. 

Dr.  Matas  says  that  his  effort  to  simplify  the  cure  of  aneurism  by 
the  principles  involved  in  the  modern  treatment  of  aneurisms,  and 
his  insistance  upon  the  security  of  studying  the  conditions  of  the 


Original  Contributions  of  Louisiana  to  Medical  Science  11 

collateral  and  peripheral  circulations  before  attempting  the  per- 
manent occlusion  of  the  great  surgical  arteries;  and  by  which  the 
efficiency  or  inefficiency  of  the  collateral  circulation  can  be  deter- 
mined,— are  the  contributions  which  he  would  prefer  to  have  recog- 
nized. 

DR.  ARTHUR  WASHINGTON  DE  ROALDES  was  the  first 
to  establish  a  Nose,  Eye,  Ear  and  Throat  Hospital  in  the  South,  from 
the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  and  from  St.  Louis  to  the  Gulf. 

DRS.  F.  W.  PARHAM  and  E.  D.  MARTIN  devised  a  new 
treatment  for  fractures.  It  consists  in  a  band  that  fits  snugly  around 
any  unevenness  of  the  bones.  Especially  useful  in  the  treatment  of 
oblique  fractures. 

DR.  CHARLES  WARREN  DUVAL,  (New  Orleans),  claims  to 
be  the  first  to  obtain  the  bacillus  of  Leprosy  in  pure  culture.  Sub- 
cutaneous leprous  nodules  are  removed  under  sterile  conditions,  cut 
into  small  bits  and  planted  aerobically  on  a  medium  of  split  protein 
products.  After  removal  it  is  autolized  by  adding  some  proteoly- 
tic bacteriimi  or  allowing  the  tissue  to  slowly  disintegrate  under 
sterile  conditions  at  37  C.  for  several  weeks,  then  extracting  the  juice 
by  Berkfeld  filtration. 

Dr.  Duval  has  discovered  the  causal  agent  of  Infantile  diarrhea 
or  Summer  Complaint  and  proved  that  it  is  a  bacillus  belonging  to  the 
dysentery  group. 

DR.  WILLIAM  HERBERT  HARRIS,  (New  Orleans):  Pro- 
duction of  Pellagra  in  the  Monkey  by  a  Berkefeld  filtrate  derived 
from  human  lesions.    The  filtrate  was  injected  hypodermically. 

DR.  MAURICE  COURET,  (New  Orleans),  demonstarted  that 
the  fish  is  the  host  of  the  bacillus  of  leprosy.  The  fish  were  inocu- 
lated simultaneously  with  a  bacterial  emulsion  of  bacillus  leprae. 
Fish  were  fed  on  himian  leprosy  nodules  and  the  flesh  of  infected 
fish.  All  the  bacilli  multiplied  in  the  fish  and  were  harbored  by  them 
without  apparent  discomfort  or  outward  evidence  of  the  disease. 

DRS.  CHARLES  CASSEDY  BASS  and  FOSTER  MATTHEW 
JOHNS,  (New  Orleans),  were  the  first  to  cultivate  the  Plasmosium 
of  Malarial  Fever.  They  showed  that  when  blood  with  Plasmodium 
was  heated  to  a  certain  temperature  the  Plasmodium  continued  to 
live  for  a  certain  time  but  would  eventually  die.  By  adding  some 
dextrose  the  Plasmodium  continued  to  live  and  multiplied. 

They  have  studied  specially  the  influence  of  emetine  and  ipecac 
as  a  specific  remedy  against  the  protozoon  of  pyorrhea  alveolaris, 
specially  proper  dose,  best  method  of  administration,  duration  of 
treatment  and  prevention  of  lapse  or  reinfection. 

DR.  MARION  SIMS  SOUCHON,  (New  Orleans),  was  the  first 


12  Edmond  Souchon,  M.  D. 

to  remove  a  urinan^  calculus  from  the  vesical  portion  of  the  ureter 
through  the  perineal  route.  He  was  guided  by  the  touch  through  the 
rectum  and  through  the  wound. 

DR.  ROBERT  CLYDE  LYNCH,  (New  Orleans),  claims  to  be 
the  first  to  remove  a  tumor  whole  from  the  larynx.  Also  to  be  the 
first  to  have  sutured  a  surgical  wound  in  the  interior  of  the  larynx. 

MR.  LLOYD  ARNOLD,  (New  Orleans),  is  the  first  to  demon- 
strate the  occurrence  in  the  human  ovary  of  several  ova  in  the  same 
follicle.  The  work  was  done  under  the  direction  of  Professor  Irving 
Hardesty  in  the  Laboratory  of  Anatomy  at  Tulane  University. 

DR.  CARROLL  WOOLSEY  ALLEN,  (New  Orleans,)  is  the 
first  to  publish  the  only  thorough  book  on  Local  Anesthesia  in  the 
English  language. 

DR.  ANSEL  MARION  CAINE,  (New  Orleans),  devised  a 
warm  ether  apparatus,  without  using  a  flame.  The  apparatus  con- 
sists of  a  bellows  worked  by  foot  pressure  which  vaporizes  the  ether. 
The  vapor  is  driven  through  a  coil  of  pipe  enclosed  in  a  metal  recep- 
tacle containing  acetate  of  soda.  This  receptacle  is  immersed  in 
boiling  water  for  fifteen  minutes  before  using  and  the  soda  will  retain 
the  heat  for  several  hours.  The  vapor  driven  through  the  heated 
coil  is  delivered  warm  to  the  patient. 

DR.  HENRY  DICKSON  BRUNS,  (New  Orleans),  was  the 
first  to  devise  a  tucking  operation  for  shortening  any  one  of  the 
straight  muscles  of  the  eye. 

DR.  OSCAR  DOWLING  was  the  first  in  the  Southwest  to  equip 
a  Health  Car  for  the  Louisiana  State  Board  of  Health  and  with  it  to 
travel  over  the  country  to  perform  the  true  functions  of  a  State 
Beard  of  Health,  i.  e.  to  teach  the  people  how  to  preserve  and  improve 
their  health. 

DR.  STANFORD  CHAILLE  JAMISON  was  the  first  to  dis- 
cover that  when  the  large  splenic  vessels  were  ligated,  the  spleen 
would  not  slough  if  it  were  covered  by  omentum. 

THE  STATE  OF  LOUISIANA  is  the  first  and  only  State  to 
establish  and  maintain  a  Leprosarium  (Leper's  Home). 
Tulane  University,  St.  Charles  Avenue, 
New  Orleans. 


Date 

Due 

<^ 

